I Need More
by TrubieFan2
Summary: Love the Show but we have BBC America and miss out on some parts. This story actually picks up where another FanFiction writer leaves off... check Bella.Barbaric for the source of my inspiration!
1. Chapter 1

**This story picks up where Bella Barbaric left off. I was hooked on her continuation of the story but her profile states she will not be returning. I decided to keep the storyline going.**

**Disclaimer: Just a fan!**

After Anya left the group at the lab, Abby sat with Greg for a bit, thinking things over. Al, Naj and Peter had gone to the trailers Peter had stayed in to forage for supplies.

"Ok, here's what I propose. Greg, you are right, we have precious little food and water and not enough fuel to keep us going. But, none of you gave up on me, on Peter, and because of that, I have my son. I know that Anya left us but we are like a family now and I just can't let this go…she was so upset and I can't bear to lose her too…"

"Look, I don't like the thought of her out there any more than you do," Greg added, "but we haven't got a clue to where she could have gone."

"I know, I was thinking about that. The only things we know are that Tom was at the tower, then he was gone. It's possible he could have gone in the woods, but …"

"We told you, he headed towards the tarmac, towards you…" said Naj, coming in with some supplies.

"Ok, but he never came to us, we never saw him and there was nothing there, no buildings, no place to hide…" Abby thought.

"There were the cars…." Al looked up to the group. "And the plane!", Naj said excitedly.

"What, you think Tom got onto the plane?" Greg looked incredulously at the group, "If he did, we'll be lucky if any one of them on the plane is left alive then." Abby gave him a look.

Greg looked exasperated, "Yes, but even if he did, for some reason, get on the plane, we still haven't got clue as to where they have gone."

The group was looking at each other, feeling closer yet just as far as they were a few minutes ago.

Al stood up and walked in a circle, scratching his head as if to make a thought appear. He stopped suddenly, "Wait, we are missing something here."

"Yeah" Naj jumped up, "Anya, and Tom!"

"No Naj, I mean something else. Anya didn't have any more information than we did. I mean it was just as much of a surprise to her that Tom was gone, so she didn't have any ideas of his plans. Not that he seemed to have one when we last saw him. Not that I ever know what he is planning."

They all exchanged glances. "But she said she thinks she knows how to find Tom. There must be something that connects things together that we are missing, or forgetting…"

After a minute, Greg said, "The postcard. It all connects to the postcard. That was the only clue to connect anyone to this secret place of Landry's. But we know the coordinates are for the airports, not the destination. No, there must be something else to it…"

Abby looked up at Greg, "'Hope Never Dies', that has to mean something."

Peter, quiet within the group as he hadn't yet felt comfortable around them all, said, "Could it be a game, like the scramble words from school, just switch them round and see what it says."

"Yeah, let's try", cried Naj jumping up to get paper and pens.

Abby gave Greg an uncertain look, "Couldn't hurt to try for a bit."

"It's a start, but whether we find something or not, we can't stay here for much longer. We won't make it." Greg looked at Abby and Al and started with his pen.

xxx

"Miss Raczynski, please sit". Landry was at his desk as if he was expecting Anya. He had a sinister yet weary look to him.

"How do you know my name?"

"Oh, well, I do know a lot about you, Miss, excuse me, _Dr_. Raczynski…and your friends. Please, have a seat" Landry held out his hand gesturing for Anya to sit.

She looked around cautiously and shook her head slightly but did not sit. She knew enough about Landry to know he was not trustworthy, but there was something more than that, it was very unsettling. The gun did not feel right in her hands but she knew its power. She had held up the shotgun to save Tom before but she had really hated it then, she even told him so. But now, she was not as upset. She had resilience in her that would do whatever it took to get to Tom. She was a bit surprised by this.

"I want to know what happed to Tom." As she said this she again realized that even though she made it this far, Tom was badly injured, her confidence in his being alive was wavering.

Landry gazed at Anya, "I am impressed, Miss Raczynski, that you not only found us, but that you made it past my guards. I was under the impression that you were against violence, yet here you sit with a gun. Yes, I think Tom Price has influenced you, perhaps?"

Anya's mind was going wild, how did he know so much about her, about Tom?

"You seem to know about me Landry, and Tom. You have been having discussions with him about us then, have you?" Anya fished for information.

Landry smiled at Anya with that superior, creepy twist of his lips, "Dr. you and I both know Tom is a man of few words...discussions are not really his thing."

Anya could feel her emotions begin to overwhelm her. Landry seemed to know their personalities so well. She felt certain that Tom had been on the plane, she still wasn't sure if he was still alive.

A voice came from the radio on Landry's desk, "Sir we have not found her yet, we are still searching."

Landry sat back, looked confident and as if he was enjoying himself. Even though Anya had the gun, Landry had the upper hand. Anya knew she didn't have much time.

xxx


	2. Chapter 2

**This is the interaction between Anya and Landry **

**Disclaimer: Just a fan!**

When she didn't respond, Landry continued, "As you know, this is our Lab. We chose this location years ago as a precaution, should something like this ever…." He didn't finish but looked off into the distance and seemed to focus on something over Anya's shoulder. She turned her head slightly to see if anything was there, but it was just an empty corner. When she looked back, Landry seemed to be re-focused, but shaken.

"You're stalling. Tom was injured, he lost a lot of blood," Anya shifted her position to better see the doorway while keeping the gun on Landry.

Landry gave Anya an evaluating look, "Miss Raczynski, I have to say, I underestimated your feelings for Mr. Price. I thought you wanted things to end between you." Landry watched Anya closely, hoping for a reaction to his provoking words. "I am very impressed by you, doctor. Indulge me for a moment, how did you find us?"

Anya was steeling herself, she didn't trust Landry but she also didn't want to use the gun. "The postcards, _Hope Never Dies_, I knew it must have had a meaning. I figured out the Latin translation and deciphered the anagram. I knew of these mines and it fit."

"Ah, quite remarkable" Landry's voice was smooth and calming, "I would like to make you an offer, Miss Raczynski, you would be a welcome addition to our team. You have experience with the outside world and have helped develop the vaccine. We have successfully tested it…" at this, Landry smirked, "and have given it to almost half of our group here. We are working on reproduction and our plans are to distribute the vaccine to the survivors."

"Why would I help you?"

"Miss Raczynski, you were already planning to distribute the vaccine with Fiona" Landry raised his eyebrows, "since she is no longer….available, why not continue on a path that links you to your past. This is what your purpose is in this new world, you are after all, a doctor".

Anya was becoming furious. How did Landry know all of these things, these plans, these conversations…something wasn't right, this didn't make sense.

Landry was starting to show some confidence as he began slowly moving from behind his desk toward Anya.

"Miss Raczynski…"

"How could you? Have you any idea what you have done? While you and your elite group were here, hidden safely away from your destruction, the rest of us were watching our worlds fall away in front of us", Anya's voice was barely above a whisper but was so full of emotion. "I lost, we all lost, everyone… families, friends, children, parents…all these people came to me looking for help. Their faces, so much pain…"

Landry's hardened look faltered. He had a slight sheen of sweat on his face. He almost looked frightened. He quickly glanced over Anya's shoulder…she turned her head slowly but saw an empty corner. Her mind racing, she would have to find a weak spot and work it quickly or her chances of finding Tom would disappear.

"Mr. Landry, who did you lose? Wife, children, sisters? How many doctors, researchers were taken ill? How many survivors who had lost so much already, were used as lab rats and discarded? How do you sleep at night, knowing you have caused so much suffering…?"

Landry looked downright terrified. He was frantically looking around the room, talking to empty air as if there were people there. "I'm sorry, so sorry… ", he whispered over and over.

"Mr. Landry, you can make things better. You can begin by making any amends you can. You have the vaccine. It works, I know it works. You can put some good back into the world you destroyed."

Landry looked at Anya as though she just walked into the room. After a few seconds, he seemed to pull himself together.

"Yes, the vaccine…it works. Tom, it was tested on Tom..." he looked at Anya for a moment, "he trusts you, trusted the vaccine…"

Anya barely moved but relief spread over her, she knew Tom was ok.

"What about Natalie Preston and her children, are they here?" Anya asked a now exhausted looking Landry.

Landry seemed to chuckle weakly. "Yes, you really are like a family, aren't you? Looking after each other…"

That's when Anya knew how Landry had all of this information about her and the others.

"The lab" Anya whispered, "it's bugged…you knew everything that was going on…"

"Yes, as I do all my labs, it is imperative that I know what is going on, and I cannot always rely on my Directors' reports. There is too much at stake here".

Landry winced with pain as Anya shouted, "Too much at stake!"

"My pills…my pills…." Landry sputtered as he clutched his chest and fell to his knees.

As much as Anya wanted this man to suffer, the medical training in her was too reflexive. Anya ran to the other side of the desk and checked his pulse. "Mr. Landry, Mr. Landry, can you hear me?" Anya looked around in the desk for a bottle of pills. She saw the taser gun next to a pill bottle, she grabbed both.

She sat Mr. Landry up a bit and gave him his pill. After a few minutes, he opened his eyes, his breathing still heavy. Anya had been sitting with the taser in hand. She had put the gun in her carry all, the taser seemed like a more humane weapon, if there was such a thing. Anya checked Landry's desk and pockets for an ID card like the one she took from the guard at the entrance. She took that along with a set of keys she found. For a moment she wondered how she could have come to be doing the kinds of things she was doing. It wasn't violent, but still did not feel like the sort of thing she would normally do, but what is normal anymore? And what was going on here? Landry had been spooked, for sure, and the pills he was taking were not labeled with anything but Landry's name. She waited for it to click together, and it did. He must have been spooked by something or someone he 'saw'. Anya would use this to her favor.

"Mr. Landry, how are you feeling? "

"Better" he looked an Anya uncertainly.

"It must be hard for you, to be such a great mind, with abilities to work such medical wonders, to have the ability to help people in need. Only to have it all ripped from you, and at your own hand…How many people did you 'test' your vaccines on? Did you hear them as well? Your labs seemed to be full of them…"

Landry was looking simply terrified. "No, no, I never…we never thought…it….we…" he whispered.

Anya looked off into the distance…"I have been haunted as well. All those patients I couldn't save, looking at me with such desperation" she looked down at Landry, "fellow doctors, friends…I held them as they died, you know. And I still see their faces looking towards me, hoping that I can do something for them….it's torture for me…so hard to bear sometimes…."

It was working, tears began to flow down his cheeks…."So many…so many…we were trying to _save_ humans, we are still trying, now, to save them…it spread so fast, we only just had time to prepare, to, to…"

"How many did you bring here? How did you choose them?"

"Two thousand postcards were sent…not all of them made it here…"

"How did you choose them?" Anya asked again.

"They are from every walk of life. Their skills will be able to get us going again, to be passed down so that we may function as a society again".

"There is no society. People have been torn apart, their humanity shredded, forced to act in terrible ways in order to survive."

"So I have been told. Mr. Price has told me that it is quite hostile. I have asked him to work for me as protection when we take the vaccine round".

"Tom agreed to-to work for you?"

"I'm afraid, Miss Raczynski, that he took you at your word when you told him it was over."

xxxx

Anya couldn't believe it, didn't want to believe it. Had she pushed Tom away so far that he would agree to work for Landry?


	3. Chapter 3

**Finally, Tom! A bit of everything, Tom and Anya; Landry; Abby, Greg and the others**

**Disclaimer: Just a Fan!**

Tom faced the lights above him, eyes closed, going over Landry's job offer. He didn't want to work for anyone, especially not Landry, but this may be his only way out. Even if he did get out, what kind of life was there to lead anyway? He barely heard Landry's conversation with the guard through the intercom, but he thought he heard Landry say, "She?" Like everything, Tom thought this through methodically. Who could 'she' be? Did he even hear Landry correctly? He must have, why would he have sounded so surprised? Tom thought of Anya. He didn't like feeling confused about her. He wanted her, he knew that. He had never felt this strongly about anyone, she had a hold on him for sure but it was getting hard for him. She wanted him, he knew it, but she was always pulling back, away and Tom was….hurt. If he heard Landry right and it was a 'she' that breached the gates, could it remotely be Anya? It would have fit with Landry's tease about Anya going off on her own. Tom thought he was bluffing, but if she had…would she have made it here? Could she have gotten past a guard? He knew that Landry's threat to Anya's safety was real. But Tom wasn't convinced Anya would really leave the group. When they were all together at the country house and the group decided to go to Samantha's compound, Anya and Greg stayed behind, not because she wanted to leave the group, but because she trusted Abby's judgment of Samantha. She was happy when we all returned. She thinks she is stronger than she is and had told him more than once that she could take care of herself. What if she did leave Abby? What could she have been thinking? Why would she have done it?

He wouldn't dare to think further. He was on the brink of imagining that she would have done it for him and that kind of thinking would get him nowhere, fast.

xxxx

Landry was struggling to sit up. He no longer had the energy to hide his weariness. He was shiny with sweat, the pounding in his head was becoming unbearable, these things Miss Raczynski was saying were making the room fill with ghosts, they were coming for him and he no longer had the strength to fight them off.

"Where's Tom, Mr. Landry, where is he? Tell me, you must tell me" Anya's desperation was flooding her words now. "Please, I can't bear to lose another friend. Tell me where he is."

For a second, Landry looked at Anya and seemed to clam up, but his eyes shifted to just over her shoulder and terror came back to his face. "Two corridors down, in the testing lab…" Landry's face squeezed with agonizing pain and he clutched his chest.

Anya ran from the office and down the corridor. She opened several lab windows until she saw Tom. She fumbled with the card but as she got the door open, she heard footsteps in the hall.

Xxxx

Tom heard the door open. He didn't bother to shift his gaze. The tests were done, so it couldn't be the Bio Suits and Landry would not mind being silent for a moment. He was still in his thoughts about Anya. His thoughts were so vivid that he heard Anya's voice whisper his name.

"Tom, oh Tom! Are you ok?"

He definitely heard that and opened his eyes just in time to see Anya glance at him then quickly crouch along the wall next to the door. At the same moment, an armed guard, dressed in black, swung open the door. As he stepped into the room, Tom heard a sickening buzzing sound and the guard fell to the floor. Anya slid his legs in and shut the door. She ran to Tom and fumbled in her pockets for the keys and un-handcuffed him. As he sat up Anya threw her arms around Tom. He hugged her not clear about what was happening.

"How did you find me?"

"Long story, let's chat over dinner shall we?" Anya smiled at Tom and looked down at his hospital gown, then at the guard on the floor. "You would look good in black."

As Tom changed into the guard's clothing, Anya cuffed him to the table.

"Ok, we need a bit of a plan. This place is in the middle of nowhere. My car is too far and out of petrol. Unless you can fly…?"

Tom flashed a charming smile at Anya and held up the gun he took from the guard. "No, but if we can find the pilot, I can be very persuasive…"

Anya gave Tom a look but there was something…a minute change from her usual reaction to his 'ways'. He looked to the guard and said to Anya, "I'm guessing you didn't talk your way in here. And looks like you can work that Taser…"

Xxxx

Abby, Greg and the others had made some attempts at trying to decipher the words "Hope Never Dies" but had gotten nowhere. They realized that regardless of whether they figured out the meaning, they were out of supplies and needed to leave the lab. They gathered their things and left a note for Tom and/or Anya just in case either of them came back to look for them there.

Naj was upset as they packed their things in the truck. "You're not thinking of taking off on your own again, are you Naj?" asked Abby.

"There'll be nothing left of us if I do. I just don't understand why we can't just look for them. We looked for you and didn't give up, we didn't even know where you were. And Peter, you never gave up on Peter!"

"Naj, we will not give up. You left clues for me and I found you. I looked for clues to where Peter might be and we were lucky to find him. They aren't always easy to come by, but we will not give up, okay?"

Greg walked out, "That's the last of it. All set?"

"Why do we have to go to the coast? They won't be there." Naj was being persistent. It was difficult for him, as a boy, to see the bigger picture.

"Naj, we just don't have any idea where they might have gone. We'll keep trying to unlock the clue, but until then, Anya and Tom both know our plans were to head to the coast. That's where they will expect to look for us." Greg tried to explain.

"I don't want to leave. Al could stay with me." Naj was desperate.

"You okay Al?" Abby asked. She had a maternal look of concern on her face. Al was still raw from losing Sara.

"So much loss…." He looked up at Abby and Greg, but there was an intense look to him. "I won't give up and I won't let us give up either. We need to stick together. Anya and Tom have both saved us so many times. I don't even care about Tom killing people anymore…those people would have killed us if he didn't stop them. I know that now. Better him than me, I don't think I could stomach it. We all owe it to them to keep looking."

Greg gave Abby a stunned look. Al had never been an intense person and he was happy to let someone else take the lead, but his passion shook even Greg.

"Yes, we do owe them. But we haven't got a clue as to where they are. We don't even know which direction to head…" Greg pleaded.

"Well, we might. Think about it, there are no other planes to worry about and the pilot wouldn't want to waste petrol. He would have headed right in the direction they needed to go. You don't take a plane if the trip is short or easy so we know they are somewhere North. That was the direction the plane headed."

Abby looked at Greg. "We could head North for a couple of days, find a map and some supplies. My guess is that if it was better for them to fly, they must be at least 500 miles from here. Greg, was there any way to tell from the laptop? Any clues at all in there?"

"None, Landry cut the satellite connection last time we were on there. There are no traces."

Abby looked to the group. "Well, let's get supplies and a map and see what we can find."


	4. Chapter 4

**This has a bit of everyone again. I have to admit, Tom and Anya were my favorite characters, but I also really like the rest of the show. I am afraid that if I leave them out, there won't be much of a storyline and the push/pull dynamic that Tom and Anya have would fade if they were the only focus.**

**Disclaimer: Just a fan!**

Anya had little time to relish her relief at finding Tom. They were still inside the complex and knew that there were guards looking for her and soon they would know that Tom was with her. She and Tom quickly tried to work up a plan. They could go back to Landry's office and hold him hostage. Or they could work their way through the complex using Landry's or the guard's access cards and try to steal a vehicle and find their way out of there.

As they walked through the halls Anya spotted an empty office with a desk and a lab coat over the chair. She tried the door, it was unlocked, and they entered. Anya put on the lab coat. She hoped that this and Tom's guard clothing would allow them to blend in a bit and buy them some time. She spotted a clipboard on the desk. It had a list of names and dates. She picked it up and saw that it was a vaccination log.

"Tom, look. This must be a list of everyone here. Looks like less than half have been vaccinated."

Tom looked at the list of names and recognized a few, "Impressive list" he said. He knew Landry was thorough if nothing else and guessed that the names he didn't recognize were most likely brilliant or very skilled in their trade. You had to serve a purpose to be 'worthy' of an invitation to be one of Landry's handpicked survivors.

Anya flipped through the pages with a particular name on her mind. When she found it she simply said, "Tom, she's here."

Xxxx

Landry felt the pain in his head before he opened his eyes or moved his body. He was cramped and tried to remember what had happened. He had been waiting for Anya to find him, knew she would look for him, hoped that she would come to him. Her face was really angelic but she had strength to her that he imagined people underestimated. She had witnessed more pain and suffering than most as a doctor, but he didn't guess that she would be keen enough to recognize his weakness. After all, he had a team of handpicked doctors that treated him and not even they knew the nature or extent of his suffering. Then again, they had been under extreme pressure researching a vaccine, their minds focused on the masses, not one individual who surely could take care of himself.

It was bad enough that she had eyes just like his daughter. He hadn't noticed this at the air-strip he was too busy keeping one eye on Peter, the other on Abby. But having this woman here with his full attention on her, it quickly became almost unbearable. His daughter's beautiful face crumpled in agony was the one vision that always brought him to his knees. This uncanny likeness was no exception.

He knew Anya sensed something was off and he remembered that she essentially talked him into a full blown panic attack. He knew that his head pounding and his chest grew tight. Then it was all over. He had felt nothing. He allowed himself to wonder for just a moment if he might be dead. But then the pain came again.

He allowed himself to open his eyes. He was under his desk and had to pull himself up to sit in his chair. He reached for his pill bottle but when he opened the drawer, he saw that the Taser was gone. He realized what must have happened and quickly checked his pockets for his access card. It was gone.

He called on the radio to his head guard.

Xxxx

Although the group had made a plan, Naj was getting impatient with the pace and lack of results. "Can't we go back to the house and to London, all the places we were at before and leave signs like we did for Abby?"

"And what would they say "Looking for Tom and Anya"? How would they know how to find us?" asked Al.

"What if we tell him to go home?" Naj asked.

"Naj" Abby said, "We can't go back there. Samantha can come looking for us at anytime and she is too dangerous, even with Dexter gone. If she finds out we are looking for Tom she'll realize that he isn't in 'prison' serving her sentence and who knows what she'll try to do."

"I wish she wasn't around anymore and you were in charge Abby." Naj looked at Abby and she pulled him in for a hug.

"We'll find them, Naj. It might take a while, but we'll find them. Remember, Anya's note said she expected us to head to the coast. Even if we don't know where to find them, she has an idea about where to find us."

"Abby, they are family now. I don't want to lose them."

"I know Naj. Me neither."

"Abby, do you think God is punishing me?"

"What makes you think that, Naj?"

"My father said I should look for my cousins but I never did. They are my blood family and I hardly ever think of them. All I can think about is getting Anya back."

"Oh, Naj. Family is so much more than blood. I promised you that we would look for them. We are headed in that direction and we'll see what we can find, ok?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Having a bit of fun with the dramatics here…hope you like it. This is mostly Tom & Anya, then Landry. Greg/Abby should be in the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Just a fan!**

Tom and Anya were still in the small office. Tom's mind was set on working their way out of the complex. His survival instinct was strong and he was relieved to know that Anya was safe. While he played Landry's lab rat he had spent hours with her on his mind. He had tried to push away the thoughts, but being locked in that room with nothing to do was maddening. He didn't like being idle, it wound him up too tight. He needed the release of physical movement, it calmed him. Then there were all the hints Landry kept dropping to him about Anya leaving the group and being out there on her own. Tom hadn't wanted to believe him, thought he was bluffing. He still didn't understand what had happened to bring her here alone, but there was no time to talk.

What sketchy plans they had for escaping had changed with the list of Survivors they found. Once Anya saw that name, she could not let herself leave without looking for the woman. If it weren't for Anya, Tom would have left regardless of what the list said, but she felt an obligation and a need, especially since they had come so far. There was such an insistence about her and regardless of what happened between them when they last saw each other, he seemed to fall in synch with her. After all, she came all this way just for him and he wasn't about to just walk off and save only himself. He didn't understand this affect she seemed to have on him. He was upset that she had rejected him at the lab. She had been rejecting him over and over since the beginning, really. But the closer they became to each other, the harder the rejections hit.

They had no idea how they were going to find anyone in this place. Too much time had passed and they were sure Landry was recovered from his Taser jolt by now. Holding him hostage was no longer an option. Anya thought the building might be set up like her university buildings with the rooms along the outer edges and a courtyard like area in the center. They decided to cautiously navigate their way through the halls.

Silently, Anya hoped that their risk would be worth it.

Xxxx

Landry took a few moments to pull himself together. He poured a brandy and emptied the glass in one gulp. His head guard entered the room.

"Sir, the woman has not been found. James was found in a Lab room handcuffed to the bed. His access card is missing. "

"Ah, yes. Well, it seems then that she found what she came for. She is no longer alone. "

Landry took a moment to think about how to instruct his guard. He realized that he had not only underestimated Anya's resilience, but her bond with Tom Price as well.

"I don't believe they will be looking to stay. I don't see any need to worry the residents. Mass panic never does anyone any good. Focus on the exits. Let them get far enough away to keep the mess outside of the boundary." Landry instructed.

"Sir…" the guard hesitated. "Um…what about contamination from the virus?"

Landry took a step closer to the guard and put his hand on the man's shoulder. "No need for worry. They have both received the vaccination. You will be fine."

The guard looked as though he wanted to ask how Landry knew this, but he had been around long enough to know that he would only get answers to the questions he was 'allowed' to ask.

"When we find them, Sir, should we follow protocol?" the guard asked.

"No, I don't think so this time, "Landry spoke slowly as if the decision was being made as he spoke the words, "Ms. Raczynski is a skilled doctor. She helped develop the vaccine. Keep _her _alive….if at all possible."

"Yes Sir. And how should we handle the residents if they are seen?" the guard asked.

"I don't see any need to raise alarm to everyone. I will gather the Sovereigns and we will handle things from there."

The guard left purposefully. Landry still felt weak but he knew what he had to do. He picked up the phone and made a short call. "Gather the group. Meet in my office in 5 minutes."

This gave him enough time to have another brandy and to get his head back in the game. He had a rare moment of weakness with Anya and he wouldn't let that happen again. He couldn't. They had too much at stake here.

He had to carefully choose which information he would allow his chosen leaders to have. He feared the group's increasing hunger for knowledge would push him to the edge.


	6. Chapter 6

**Back to the group on this one…I just keep playing this like a show in my head! And of course….more Tom and Anya…this time with a little surprise! I know where I would like this to ultimately go and am working towards this goal…having a great time with it. Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: Just a fan!**

Greg, Abby and Peter drove in the Land Rover, Al and Naj were in the car behind. They were heading North in hopes of tracking the plane. Their plan was to go into a town looking for supplies but to stay on the outer edge of it to be safer. During the drive, Abby had been looking out the window. Greg asked if she was alright but she only answered that she was enjoying the peaceful view. She was worried about Peter's health. He seemed to be weaker than the others especially in comparison to Naj. He was always asking Peter to kick around the football but Peter just didn't have the energy. She was ever the overprotective Mother, as her husband would say, 'making a big deal out of nothing, worrying too much, smothering the boy'. Their marriage had really taken a toll during Peter's battle with Leukemia. It had been a long time since she allowed herself to think of that period of her life. She was more careful this time and didn't want to unload this burden onto her new family, especially not Greg.

"Abby, you alright?" Greg asked.

"Yeah" Abby nodded and gave Greg a reassuring smile.

They had arrived to a small town close to where Najid's cousins were from.

Greg looked around through the windshield. "Well, looks like everywhere else. Let's see if we can find some supplies and stay out of trouble."

As they walked through town, they noticed it was very quiet. Greg reminded them not to get too comfortable, to keep their guard up. There were very few things left in the shops. They got a more detailed map and headed towards the houses. Al and Greg siphoned petrol from the cars at the homes while Abby, Naj and Peter went inside to search for supplies.

They scraped together enough to last a few days and headed to a somewhat secluded and quiet area to regroup. They were putting together a hodgepodge meal when two men carrying iron pipes came up towards them.

Their conversation volleyed between them in a language no one recognized. It was as if they were trying to decide what to do with these people they had just found. They all stood idle for a moment, neither side sure of what to do when Naj, clutching his football, said, "We're not your enemies. We're good people. No one wants to be enemies here."

Just as the pair looked at each other, a young woman walked up to the group. "Oi! What you two doin' down here?" then realized that Greg, Abby and the others were standing there. "Who are you? Did _she_ send you? Trying to get more of us to leave are you?"

Unsure of what she meant and as innocent as ever, Naj took a step closer, "I'm Najid. These people are my family. Who are you?"

The young woman looked slightly surprised, then turned to the two men and said, "I don't think we need to be concerned here." She turned back to Naj. "I'm Sadie. These brothers are Abram and Alex. Please excuse them. They are just trying to protect us. We have not always met nice people since the virus."

"We know what that's like. We have had some trouble ourselves, "answered Al.

The rest of the group introduced themselves and Jane and she invited them into their living area which was at one time a hall used for parties. It was easy to secure with high windows and only two sets of doors. Greg could see that it was a smart place for them to have chosen. There was a large open room and a kitchen area. There were sleeping bags and tables in different areas of the room. And an old woman, skin wrinkled and soft, sitting in a rocking chair near the window.

Sadie gestured for the group to wait and she approached the woman. They spoke softly and then Sadie turned to Abby and Greg, "This is Adira".

The woman spoke in a raspy whisper. Jane remained close and translated from Adira's native language, which none of them could identify, she spoke so softly.

"Adira says we are being punished for the way man was living. Like the story of Noah's Ark in the Bible. Almost all life wiped out except for a select few of us that were spared. She believes we will continue to be punished if we do not change our ways."

Abby contemplated this, "There has been a loss of trust for other people. We know firsthand how dangerous it can be."

"Adira asks what has brought you here."

"We are looking for our friends, Tom and Anya. We believe they headed North. We came through this town to look for Najid's family. He has cousins that lived close."

Adira looked to Najid, motioned for him to come closer. "Who is your family?" the woman whispered in broken English.

"My cousins are Iman and Nabil Hanif. My father said I should try to find them."

Adira looked sadly at Najid then whispered, "I'm sorry." She spoke again to Jane.

With sadness in her eyes, Jane explained that Adira knew of the family but that none of them survived the virus. Najid nodded, mumbled a 'thank you' and with his head hanging low, headed outside. Al was close behind to give some comfort.

"Where have your friends gone?" Jane asked.

"We're not exactly sure," Greg answered, "We became separated and our information says they headed North."

"Were they enticed into leaving?" Jane asked.

Greg gave her a questioning look, "What exactly do you mean, enticed?"

Jane looked around, as if afraid of causing tension among her own group. "Well, there was a group of people that came round not long ago. They drove through the town with a megaphone shouting that they were the government…that they were there to help bring everyone back together. They had a place for us to go where we could work together towards the future. They brought a truckload of supplies. All we had to do was watch a video and they let us have whatever we needed from the truck."

Adira made a few remarks and Abby understood by her tone what she thought.

Greg and Abby looked to each other then Abby asked "I have a feeling I know who was on that video."

"The wolf in sheep's clothing" Adira whispered. "Do not follow that one, she has evil in her."

"The men who came were very nice, but once the video began, Adira could see that something was wrong. She saw something in their leader that she knew to be untrustworthy, dangerous. But even so, most of our group left. They wanted a life that was easier. Adira says easier and better are not always the same. "

"Jane, did you recognize the woman in the video?" Abby asked.

"Oh, yes, it was the Minister, Samantha Willis."


	7. Chapter 7

**A bit of both here…working towards the ending but part of me doesn't want it to end…isn't that why we are here?**

**Disclaimer: Just a fan!**

Anya couldn't believe their luck at not running into any other guards in the halls. Tom's reaction was exact opposite. He was unsettled at this and said so, "Something's not right. They know we are here. We should have seen someone by now."

Anya's lips pursed together a bit at this. She was trying to think positive. Unlike Tom, she wasn't always ready for this kind of action. She really didn't understand how a person could live their life like this either, always on the edge, coiled like a spring waiting for something to come along that you could strike out at. How does Tom do this all the time? And was he like this before the virus? Was it prison that made him this way? Then she remembered something Tom had said months ago, the memory tickled her mind until it became clear. Yes, he had told Dexter that he had been in the Army. At the time she thought he lied, just like she did, to protect his past from everyone.

Before she could get carried away with this thread of thoughts, Tom stopped her. "Do you hear that?"

Anya listened closely for a moment. She followed the sounds around a corner and came to a set of double doors. She opened them and walked into a vast central room with skylights, tables, couches, desks with computers, books and people…hundreds of people.

Xxxx

Landry's office quickly filled with his (three) chosen Sovereigns. Part of the beauty of heading a corporation such as PSJ and having the power to offer survival to thousands of people was that you got to make the rules. One of them was that he would offer a governing body. He chose to call them Sovereigns since it sounded less threatening than Minister or King. He wasn't running a dictatorship after all. At least not as far as anyone knew. But he did like to keep his separate departments running (many times) unaware of each other.

Landry opened the meeting, "Gentlemen, it seems we have a slight situation."

"Of what nature?" asked one.

"Well, there doesn't seem to be a need to get worked up. I merely felt that this was something you all should be informed of…"

"Then why the emergency meeting? The guards were tearing down the halls then all headed outside. What's going on Landry?" demanded another.

"Gentlemen," Landry was trying to smooth them over but he could feel he was losing his grip on them…and quickly.

Then a gentleman with piercing blue eyes stood up. "Landry, we have worked very carefully and very diligently. We have taken every precaution to keep the people here _safe _and_ secure_. Withholding information is insulting at this point. Give it to us straight, what's going on?"

Landry took a deep and resigning breath. "There has been an intrusion."

"By whom?"

"A woman, a doctor actually."

"How did she get past the guards?" 'Blue Eyes' asked.

Landry almost chuckled, "I'm not exactly sure, I haven't read the guard's report. But she made it past a few of them. However, I believe she is looking to leave the building immediately."

'Blue eyes' was enraged, "What? Do you know this woman? How do you know she is looking to leave? She came from the outside which means she can contaminate this _entire facility_! How can you possibly be so _calm_?

"No, she can't." Landry said softly. "True, she is from the outside, and she survived the initial virus but she is one of the doctors who helped develop the final and most precious vaccine that all of you were fortunate enough to have been given recently. She has administered it to herself as well."

"So you know she is not 'toxic' but what about the residents? We could have a mass panic on our hands here. We are not prepared for that."

Landry stood right across from 'Blue Eyes', "Mark, this is a woman that rejects violence. She used it against our guards only as a means to get to what she came for. She has that and now has no reason to stay. I have ordered the guards to pull back and let her leave. We don't want to encourage any more violence. Nor do we want to spark panic."

"How is it you know this woman so well that you believe she will look to leave right away?" Mark challenged.

Before he could answer another man asked Landry what the proposed plan of action was. Landry encouraged all to be on high alert but to remain calm overall. He would update them in one hour. Then he dismissed the men from his office.

As the Sovereigns walked into the hall, Mark gave his companions a look that made it quietly known that he did not fully believe or trust Landry on this one. Just as they turned to the next hallway a guard came running towards them and barely knocked as he opened the door to Landry's office.

He was in such a hurry he didn't shut the door behind him. The suspicious Sovereigns were within earshot.

"Sir, we have a situation in the common room."

Xxxx

Tom and Anya, still dressed in guard and doctor clothing didn't fool anyone. This group had been here in this confined space for about year now and they recognized them as newcomers at once.

The first gentleman to spot them had been at a computer. He stood straight up when he saw them and loudly accused, "Who are you? Are you from the outside?"

Anya only had time to mutter, "Um, yes but…." Before panic set through the room. She immediately understood that they thought she would be a risk for the virus. Tom stood protectively in front of Anya and held out the gun as a warning to stay back.

"No! No! Wait! It's ok! You won't get sick! I've been vaccinated! I've been vaccinated! We've both been vaccinated! You're safe!"

The crowd slowly started to calm but they were skittish. Questions came from the crowd.

"Where did you come from?" "How did you survive?" "What vaccine? We were told there wasn't one ready!"

Then one brave child stepped forward, "How did you get in here? We want to go outside and play but we aren't allowed. I miss it outside."

The crowd stood looking, waiting. Anya looked at Tom for reassurance and strength. Then she began her story.


End file.
